Medal of Honor recipient Master Sergeant Richard A. Pittman received a final salute before burial in California on Monday.
Family, friends and Marines gathered at Cherokee Memorial Park in Lodi, Calif., for the funeral service. Pittman passed away on Oct. 13, 2016 in Stockton.
In an oral history interview, Pittman described being disqualified from regular service due to partial blindness. He joined the Marine Corps Reserves and volunteered in 1966 for a tour in Vietnam as an infantryman.
On July 24, 1966, Pittman’s unit was ambushed near the Demilitarized Zone. He said he was one of the last in his column, and eventually rushed forward to help the Marines who were calling for help. Dodging fire, Pittman was able to take on enemy troops and assist the wounded Marines once the enemy retreated.
President Lyndon B. Johnson presented him with the Medal of Honor on May 14, 1968.
He is survived by his wife Patricia and his four daughters.
Article Originally published here.
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